Migratory kuaka have begun arriving on Blackpool Beach.

The first kuaka/bar-tailed godwits returned to Blackpool Beach last Tuesday 16 September. A small group of four was quickly followed by another group of six and, as of this Tuesday, a flock of 17 were enjoying a well-deserved rest and feeding up along the tideline after their epic migration.

Karen Saunders from Native Bird Rescue says the kuaka’s long journey to get here always astounds her. “It’s possibly one of the greatest phenomenons on the planet – that a bird that little can fly that far.”

Full story in this week’s Gulf News & Waiheke Weekender……. Out now

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